Fabrication and Functioning of Magnetically Gated PET Nanochannels

Abstract Nanochannel gating exists extensively in biological systems and has wide applications in nanofluidic studies. Magnetic control is non‐contact and penetrative compared to chemical or electrical gating. This work introduces the fabrication of magnetically gated single nanochannels by grafting superparamagnetic nanoparticles, via bridging of DNA single strands, onto the inner surface of the PET nanochannels which were prepared by single ion hit and ion track etching. The nanochannel showed sub‐second magnetic response with an ON/OFF ratio of 18 measured by ionic conductance under control with a permanent magnet. These magnetically gated single PET nanochannel are speficically advantageous for superficial drug‐delivery and non‐contact control in nanofluidic applications.